Our Mission
“To become an efficient transit system capable of meeting the employment, social and medical transportation needs of the citizens of Gary as well as Northwest Indiana, while stimulating economic development within the City of Gary.”
Our History
The City of Gary purchased Gary Intercity Lines in 1974 and created Gary Public Transportation Corp. through enabling legislation. GPTC made transit a priority since the launch of the region’s first modern intercity bus routes in 1996, which connected Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. Since then, GPTC has improved service in Gary while adding service to areas of Calumet Township, Crown Point, Griffith, Highland, Hobart, Merrillville and Munster. These improvements have included more service, infrastructure modernization and improved connections. GPTC views its role as having a large stake in community development, employment, intermodal transit, and overall growth of the region.
Regulation & Supervision of GPTC
Responsible for providing public transportation service within Gary, Indiana, GPTC has the ability to determine its routes, equipment, facilities, and the standards of service to be provided. The Corporation has taxing power, may issue bonds and holds condemnation powers. In addition, GPTC is subject to the regulation of the Utility Regulatory Commission of Indiana.
Principal Management Staff
Jerome Parker - General ManagerJerome Parker was appointed General Manager in summer 2019, but Jerome’s transportation career started 41 years ago at GPTC as bus operator. After being promoted throughout GPTC management levels, in 1988 he accepted the position of General Manager for the transit system in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He has also held General Manager or Transit Director positions in Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Department of Transportation and the Detroit People Mover), Houston, Texas, St. Joseph, Missouri, Athens, Georgia, Decatur, Illinois, and Atlanta, Georgia. In Atlanta, he served 14 years as the Transit Director for the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) overseeing the Regional Commuter Bus Service for Metropolitan Atlanta.
VACANT - Controller
Clay Cates - Director of Grants/Procurement Oversight
Rodney Mahone - Director of Maintenance/Facility Manager
David Wright - Director of Planning and Marketing
Jocqueline Protho - Director of Human Resources
GPTC bus drivers, maintenance, janitorial and dispatch personnel are represented by Local 517 of the Amalgamated Transit Union for collective bargaining purposes.
Our Board of Directors
Operating policy for the Gary Public Transportation Corporation is made by a seven member Board of Directors. The Board, which is bipartisan, is appointed by the Mayor and the City Council of the City Gary. The Mayor appoints three members and the Council appoints four members. The Board of Directors develops policies regarding the operation, contracts, safety, financing, organization and structure of the Corporation. To effect these policies, Board members meet regularly in public session. These meetings include the presentations by management staff regarding the operational and financial status of the Corporation.
Walter Scott
Chairman
Stephanie Hulett
Secretary
Benjamin Robinson
Will Miller
Bill Tolbert
Sharon Levels
Joi Whiteside
Board Meetings
GPTC Board Meetings are held the first Thursday of every month (except the month of December unless otherwise noted) at 5:30 p.m. at the Adam Benjamin Metro Center 3rd floor conference room, 100 West 4th Avenue, Gary, IN 46402.
Board meetings are scheduled for the following dates in 2020 (subject to change):
JANUARY 9, 2020
FEBRUARY 6, 2020
MARCH 5, 2020
APRIL 2, 2020
MAY 7, 2020
JUNE 4, 2020
JULY 9, 2020
AUGUST 6, 2020
SEPTEMBER 3, 2020
OCTOBER 1, 2020
NOVEMBER 5, 2020
The agenda and Board information for each meeting will be made available to the public on the Tuesday morning before each meeting. Copies are available at the GPTC corporate office or click below for an electronic copy of the most-recently published Board meeting packet.
GPTC’s next Board of Directors meeting will be virtual. Members of the public may listen in by dialing (605) 313-4118 and using Access Code 550023#.